Tsonga

Tsonga, also known as Xitsonga-speaking people, are a Southern African ethnic group whose homeland is spread across Mozambique and South Africa, with smaller communities in Eswatini. They are one of the region’s larger, long-established populations and are part of the broader Bantu-speaking world. In Mozambique, Tsonga communities are concentrated in the southern and central provinces, while in South Africa they are primarily found in Limpopo and adjacent areas. The people speak Xitsonga, a Bantu language in the Tswa-Ronga subgroup, characterized by a variety of dialects and written in the Latin script. In South Africa, Xitsonga is one of the country’s official languages.

Culturally, Tsonga society has traditionally emphasized extended family networks, village-based leadership, and communal labor. Music, dance and craft are important expressive forms, with beadwork and weaving featuring prominently in many communities. The xibelani dances and drumming traditions are among well-known Tsonga cultural practices used in ceremonies and celebrations. Religion among the Tsonga today is diverse, with many adherents of Christianity alongside maintained traditional beliefs and customary rites.

Historically, the Tsonga trace their origins to Bantu-speaking populations that settled in southeastern Africa and formed various social and political structures prior to and during the colonial era. The arrival of missionaries, changes in land tenure, and modern state borders shaped their communities in Mozambique and South Africa. Today, Tsonga people continue to preserve language and culture while participating in the social, economic and political life of the region.